Doeeing apparatus



May [5, .1923. Re. 15,604

E. R. ALDERMAN DOFFING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan.. 5, 1922 sSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

BYE

ATTORNEYS.

Ma '15, 1923. Re. 15,604

E. R. ALDERMAN DOFFING v APPARATUS or i'ginal Filed Jan'. 5, 1922 sShets-Sheet 2 jfi ATTORNEYS.

May 15, 1923. Re. 15,604

E. R. ALDERMAN DOFFING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 5, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

,E.. R. ALDERMAN DOFFI NG APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 5, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

May 15, 1923;

r E. R. ALDERMAN DOFF'ING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 5, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Reissued May 15, 1923.

UNITED STATES Re. 15,604 Y EUGENE R. ALDERMAN, or HOLYOKE, mass ciusngr'rs.

DOFFING APPARATUS.

Original No. 1,419,192, dated June 13, 1922, Serial No. 527,124, filedJaunary 5 1 922.

reissue filed March 15, 1923.

T 0 all {whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE R. ALDE MAN,citizen of the United States, residing at Holyoke, in the county ofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Doffing Ap paratus, of which the following is aspecifica'tion.

This invention relates to improvements in dofling mechanism forcap-spinning mev chines or the like and is directed particularly tomechanisms for simultaneously dofling caps having the usual unflangedsmooth upper ends.

Dofiing mechanisms have heretofore been devised, which employ caps ofspecially constructed upper ends known as flanged caps but it has beenfound that such flanged caps are not suitable for all kinds andconditions of spinning for which smooth caps are used. An objecttherefor of the present invention is the provision of a doflingapparatus that may be employed in a spinning machine without thenecessity of providing specially constructed caps in place'of the usualcaps now commonly used in hand dofi'ed machines.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forsimultaneously setting the fresh empty bobbins properly upon theirrespective whorls for" driving connection therewith after the doflingoperation is completed, thereby eliminating. the individual hand settingof the bobbins upon their driving whorls heretofore required. Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will appear from the followingdescrip tion, while the embodiment of the invention as at presentpreferred is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 isa front elevational view of a por tion of a spinning machine with thedofling mechanism applied thereto Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational viewin conventional form of the spinning frame and showing the dottingmechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the cap receiving guides;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the cap supporting members;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the dofiing carriage App tion erSerial No. 525,384..

g- 6 is a p an i w of h bobb n S ttin levlces o n in ngageme w h he bbigsan 9 re e ona rievsshev- 11s ee i .Qi he P rt n ar ou st p of hefiins Op on;

the purpose of disclosing the invention in its present preferred form.The" end fra rne of the spinning machine is indicated a n i W l nd r tin at such machines are provided withapair of end frames that are heldor tied together in a spaced relation by upper and lower longitudinal prgirders 4 6. l

A spindle rail 8 is fixed to reciprocable racks 1O which are suitablyguidedfor and down movement in the lower girder rail shaft 12 mounted insuitable bear ngs 2 of the end frames is'providedwith anoperating handwheel 14 and has fixed thereto at intervals along its length, p inions16 which are in meshing engagement wiltli the several racks 10 carriedby the rail 8. By this mechanism the rail 8 may be raised and lowered byhand when desired for the idoifi ing operation. Spindles 22am fixed tothe rail 8 and project upwardly therefrom. A lifter plate 18 has fixedthereto depending rods 34 which eXtend through the spindle rail 8 andare slid ably guided fo-r vertical movement through the lower girder ,6.Brackets 36 are fixed to the lower ends of the rods 34 and are connectedwith icliains 38 to suitable operating mechanism .(not shown) forraising ,andloivering the lifting plates 18 either automatically whenthe machine is running or by hand whenthe machine is stopped. Itotatablyinountedonthe lifting plate 18 by suitable bearings 24 are the whorls 24having fined thereto the upwardly projecting tubes 20 through which thespindles 22 are adapted to extend. The

whorls 24am adaptedto be driven by bands (not shown) and are providedwiththe usual key portions 26 adapted toengage suite 1e slots 28 at thelower ends of the bobbins for driving the latter during thesp-inningoperaindicated by reference number 30 and the tion. In thedrawings the full bobbins are empty bobbins by reference number 126. Thespindles 22 are adapted to support at their upper ends the caps 32 ofthe usual construction having smooth, unfianged and tapering upper endsas shown.

The mechanism for removing the caps during the doffing operation willnow be described. Plates 40 .are supported by reciprocable racks 42 andare moved'horizontally to and from the spindles by means of gearsegments 44 fixed to a shaft 46. The shaft46 is rotatably supported inthe end frames 2 and isoperated by means of a lever 48. Brackets 50secured to the end frames 2 serve as guides for the reciprocable racks42. Guide members 52 for guiding the caps are carried, by the upper ofthe plates 40 and as shown in Fig. 3 preferably comprise a plate havinga circular opening 54 into which the upper ends of caps 32 may enterwhen raised to their elevated position by the spindles 22. Supportingbases 64 are caps would be spoiled for spinning.

fixed to an oscillating shaft 56. These bases as shown in Fig. 4 arearranged to support the caps 32 by engaging beneath the same. The shaft56 is mounted in suitable bearings of brackets 58 which'are secured tothe lower plate 40 and is provided with an oper ating lever 60 at oneend thereof by means of which the shaft may be swung. A catch 62 iscarried adjacent one end of the upper plate 40 behind'which the lever 60may be placed to hold the shaft and supporting bases in the positionshown in Fig. 2.- Normally during the spinning operation the supportingbases are in the non-supporting position represented by dotted lines at120 in Fig. 2. a

It is important to construct these supporting bases 64 of a materialwhich will be sufiiciently soft, so as not to injure or burr the lowerperipheral edge of the caps 32 when engaging the same, as otherwise theBy moving the plates 40 forwardly in 2 the upper guides 52 may be alinedover the spindles 22 and are in a position to receive the caps when theyare elevated thereto. When the caps are elevated to a proper height thesupporting bases may be swung v by a rotation of the shaft 56 to engagethe lower end of the caps 32, and in which. position the periphery ofthe cap is encircled by the flange 68 of the bases. 64 to hold the capfrom displacement. Bobbin holders 70 are carried by a pivoted shaft 72and are provided at their outer ends with pointed pins 74 for engagingthe yarn or other material upon the full bobbins 30 and serve to holdthe said bobbins from downward movement when raised to a desiredposition by the lifter plate as will later appear.

The shaft 72 is pivotally mounted in suitable hangers 73 fixed to anddepending from the cross-rail 4. A member 75 fixed to an end of theshaft 72 has pivoted thereto an operating lever 77 and a spring 7 9carried by the member acts upon the pivoted lever 77 to force thesameagainst the end frame 2. The lower or outer end of thelever isprovided with a curved portion 77 which. serves as a convenient meansfor grasping the said lever. The shaft 72 may be swung to carry thebobbin holders from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2 to theoperative position shown in Figs. 7 and 9. To hold the shaft in thesepositions suitable notches 81 and 183 are provided in the frame 2 asshown in Fig. 1 into which the lever 77 is forced by the action of thespring 79.

The mechanism for removing full bobbins from their respective spindlesand replacing the same withempty bobbins-will now be described. I

A carriage 78 comprising a plurality of alternating bobbin receiving anddelivery bracket 85 fixed to the support bar 86 and Y carries a pin 87on its upper end that is in sliding engagementwith a slot 89 of a member91 fixed to the reciprocable bar 84. By a movement of the lever 83 thebar 84 and ion carriage 78 carrying the bobbin pockets is moved to theright or left for locating the pockets in desired relations to thespindles 22. Suitable stops 83' may be provided to limit the movement ofsaid lever 83 in either direction. The supporting bar 86 is fixed tofore and aft reciprocable racks 92 preferably located at opposite endsthereof. These racks are in sliding engagement with suitable brackets 94and may be reciprocated by pinions 96 fixed to shaft 98 to the end ofwhich is fixed an operating handle 100. The'brac-kets 94 are carried onvertically reciprocable racks 102 that are guided in suitablestandards-104 secured to the lower girder rail 6 of the spinningmachine. A shaft 106 rotatably mounted in the stand ards 104 has fixedthereto pinions 108 that are in meshing engagement with the racks llll102. A hand wheel 110 secured to an end of the shaft 106 provides ameans to rotate spring steel but may be of any other material of asimilar nature; Friction strips or pads 136 of a rubber like materialare carried on the outer faces of the members 134:. The arms or bobbinsetters may be moved by a. swinging action of the shaft 138 from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Figs. 6 and 10 and aswvill beseen the resilient members will engage one ,the position shown at Fig.10 and then slightly depress the bobbins and rotate them as the membersswing back to the position shown in Fig. 10. During-the turning actionthe connecting devices, in the form illustrated being a key and slot,are brought into driving engagement. A thread guide 112 of usualconstruction and indicated by dotted linesis supported from the uppergirder rail 1 and is hinged at 114 to allow the said guide to be tiltedbackward in the usual manner. Separator plates also indi cated by dottedlines at-116 function in the usual manner and are carried by the saidthread guide 112.

The operation of dofling will now be described. WVhen the spinningmechanism is at rest the caps are removed from the spindles in thefollowing manner The plates carrying the guides 52 and supporting bases64.- are moved forwardly to a position in which the openings in theguides are alined with their respective spindles, the

bases'64 being in their inoperative position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2. After the positioning of the guides 52 the spindle rail 8 andlifterplate 18 are elevated by hand in the usual manner to move orelevate the caps 32 from the dotted line position 122 to that indicatedat 124 (see Fig. 2). This upward movement of the caps carries theirupper smooth ends well into the openings 54 of the guides 52 whichserves to retain them in an upright position. The bases 6e are nextswung to their supporting position shown in F ig. 2 and engage the lowerend of thecaps, the peripheral edge of the caps being retained withinthe upstanding flanges 68 of the bases 64C. --The rail 8 is then loweredsufficiently to withdraw the spindles 22 from beneath the caps and theshaft 16 is then operated to slide the plate 40 and caps 32 backwardlyto the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2

The removal of the full bobbins is now to be accomplished andthe'lifterrail is accordingly elevated to carry the bobbins to raisedposition the bobbin holder shaft 72 is rotated to cause-the bobbinholders 74 to engage the yarn upon the bobbins and functions to securelyhold the bobbins in this elevated position while the lifter rail isagain lowered to a position to allow the carriage 78 and pockets toenter between the bottom of the bobbin and top of the bobbin whorl 24:.

The frame 7 8 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and carries in itsdelivery pockets the empty bobbins 126. It is now moved to the positionshown in Fig. 7 in which position the receiving pockets of the frame arelocated directly beneath the full bobbins 30 and enclose the spindles22.

The bobbin holder shaft 7 2 is now turned to the osition shown in Fig. 8to release the bobbins and allow the same to fall within the receivingpockets of the carriage.

The carriage 78 is now moved upwardly until the lower end of the bobbins30 clear the top of the spindles 22 (see Fig. 8) and by means of thelever 83 the full bobbins are moved laterally to a point between thespindles. This lateral movement of the carriage also locates a set ofempty bobbins over and in alinement with the spindles. The bobbinholders are again swung tothe location indicated in Fig. 9 and thecarriage is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the dotted lineposition 128 shown in Fig. 9. This lowering of the carriage places theempty bobbins upon their respective spindles. V the lower endsv of thebobbins are caught upon the members 74 which hold the empty bobbins fromdescent in order that the pockets may be withdrawn to the positionindicated at 130 in Fig. 9. When the pockets are withdrawn to theirnormal position the supports 74 are swung to their inoperative positionshown in Fig. 2 and the bobbins are allowed to drop upon the whorls asshown in Fig. 10. As the bobbins are thus dropped it is apparent thatthe connecting During this lowering movement devices ofthe whorls andbobbins will not the bobbins to effect the connection of the bobbins andwhorls for the spinning operation.

The caps 32 are now carried forwardly by the cap holding mechanism andare positioned above and in alinement with the I spindles 22. Whenproperly positioned the spindle rail 8 and the lifter plate 18' areelevated by hand, whereby, the upper ends of the spindles enter the capsand engage the same to support them in the usual manner. After'the capsare engaged by the spindles the shaft 56 is swung to carry theSupporting bases to the dottedline position indicated at 120. Thespindle rail '8 and lifter plate 18 are next lowered to their operativespinning position and the capsupporting mechanism is then movedbackwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The full. bobbins having been replaced by empty bobbins the spinningoperation may be recommenced, it being understood that the yarn or othermaterial may be attached to the empty bobbins by any suitable mechanismwell known in the art.

It is apparent thatxmany changes may be made in the invention to adaptit to various spinning machines. I, therefore, prefer not to be limitedto the embodiment of the invention shown and described.

Claims:

1. The combination with a cap spinning machine having spindles and capssupported thereon, of doiiing mechanism comprising annular members forloosely embracing the upper portions of said caps, and means forsupporting the caps by engagement with the lower edges thereof inremoving the caps from the spindles.

2. The combination with a capspinning machine having verticallyreciprocable spindles and caps supported thereon, of dotting mechanismcomprising a cap holder frame having a reciprocable movement toward andaway from said spindles, cap suspending devices carried on said holderframe movable relatively thereto for engaging the lower edges of saidcaps, and means for actuating said devices between reciprocatio-ns ofsaid frame.

3. The combinationwith a cap spinning machine having verticallyreciprocable spindles and caps supported thereon, of dotting mechanismcomprising a cap holder frame having a reciprocable movement toward andaway from said spindles, guides on said holder frame for the upperportions of said nism comprising a cap holder frame having areciprocable movement toward and away from said spindles, guides fixed.on said holder frame for embracing the upper ends of said caps, andbifurcated suspending devices pivoted on said frame for engaging thelower edges-of said caps, and means for swinging said suspending devicesin and out from beneath said caps.

5. The combination with a cap spinning support said caps subsequently totheeleva-' tion of the latter.

, 6. The combination with a cap spinning machine having verticallyreciprocable spindles and caps carried thereby, of dofling mechanismcomprising members for loosely embracing the sides of said caps tosteady the same, means for positioning said members above said caps sothat the caps will be projected through said members as the caps areelevated, and means for supporting said caps in their elevatedpositions.

,7. The combination with a spinning ma-' chine having rotatable whorlsfor carrying bobbins, of bobbin setting mechanism comprising swingingarms having yielding fingers with friction surfaces to engage aplurality of bobbins and slightly rotate the same relative to theirrespective whorls for effecting driving connection therewith.

'8. The combination with a cap spinning machine having spindles androtatable whorls for. carrying bobbins, of doffing mechanism forremoving full bobbins and remounting empty bobbins on said whorls, andbobbins setting mechanism comprising yielding fingerswith frictionsurfaces for engaging a plurality of said empty bobbins and slightlyrotating the same relative to their respective whorls for effecting thedriving connection therewith.

9. The combination with a cap spinning machine having spindles and capssupported thereon, of dofling vmechanism comprising vertically swinging,cap suspending devices for engaging the lower edges of said caps, andmanually operated means to positively swing said suspending devicesbeneath said caps to support the latter for removal from said spindles.

10. The combination with a cap spinning machine having spindles and capssupported thereon, of. doiiing mechanism comprising vertically swinging,cap suspending devices for engaging the lower edges of said caps,

manually operated means to positively swing said suspending devicesbeneath said caps to support the latter for removal from said spindles,and means for latching said cap suspending devices in. cap supportingposition.

11. The combination with a cap spinning machine having spindles adaptedto receive bobbins and caps supported on said spindles, of doflingmechanismcomprising vertically swinging, cap suspending devices formedof bifurcated portions with fixed sides spaced apart to clear thebobbins on said spindles and having supporting engagement with only thecaps of said spindles.

12. The combination with a cap spinning machine having verticallyreciprocable spindles and caps supportedthereon, of doiiing mechanismcomprising a cap holder frame machine having a main frame, verticallyreciprocable spindles adapted to receive-bobbins and caps supported onsaid spindles, of

dofling mechanis'mnomprising a cap holder frame having a movement towardand away ;from said spindles, cap steadying members on said holder framefor the upper ends of said caps, cap suspending devices on said holderframe for. engaging the lower ends of said caps to support the latterfor removal from said spindles, and bobbin suspending devices on saidmain frame arranged to engage and support said bobbins when the caps areremoved from the spindles.

14. The combination with a cap spinning I machine having a main frame,vertically reciprocable spindles adapted to receive bobbins and capssupported on said spindles, of doifing mechanism comprising a cap holderframe having a movement toward and away from said spindles, capsteadying members on said holder frame for the upper ends of said caps,cap suspending devices on said holder frame for engaging the lower endsof said caps to support the latter for removal from said spindles,bobbin suspending devices on said main frame arranged to en-' gage andsupport said bobbins when the caps are removed from the spindles, acarriage having adjacent pockets to receive full and empty bobbins, andmeans to move said carriage to locate said pockets in and out of axialalignment with said spindles.

15. The combination with a cap spinning machine having a main frame,vertically reciprocable spindles adapted to receive bobbins and capssupported on said spindles, of dofling mechanism comprising a cap holderframe having a movement toward and away from said spindles, capsteadying members on said holder frame for the upper ends of said caps,cap suspending devices on said holder frame for engaging the lower endsof said caps to support the latter for removal from said spindles, andbobbin suspending devices comprising vertically swinging hook memberspivoted on said main frame and bins and caps supported on said spindles,of

doifing mechanism comprising a cap holder frame having a movement towardand away from said spindles, cap steadying members fixed on said holderframe for loosely embracing the upper ends of said caps, cap suspendingdevices pivotally carried 011 said holder frame adapted to be swungbeneath said caps to support the latter for removal fromsaid spindles,and bobbin suspending devices movably mounted on said main frame andarranged to engage and support said bobbins when the caps are removedfrom the spindles. Y

17 The combination with a cap spinning machine having a main frame,vertically reciprocable spindles adapted to receive bobbins and capssupported on said spindles, of

doffing mechanism comprising a cap holder'- machine having a main frame,vertically re-' ciprocable spindles, bobbins and caps supported on saidspindles, of doffing mechanism comprising a cap holder frame having amovement toward and away from said spindles, cap steadying members fixedon said holder frame for loosely embracing the upper ends of said caps,cap suspending devices pivotally carried on said holder frame adapted tobe swung beneath said caps to support the latter for removal from saidspindles, bobbin suspending devices movably mounted on said main frameand arranged to engage and support said bobbins when the caps areremoved from the spindles, a carriage having adjacent pockets to receivefull and empty bobbins, and means to move said carriage to locate. saidpockets in and out of axial alignment with said spindles.

19. The combination with a spinning machine having spindles and whorlsadapted to receive bobbins, of bobbin dofling mechanism for replacingfull bobbins with empty bobbins on said whorls, of bobbin settingmechanism comprising friction engaging debins into driving engagementwith said v whorls.

20. The combination with a spinning machine having spindles and-whorlsadapted to receive, bobbins, of bobbin setting mechanism comprising arock shaft with a plurality of friction engagingdevices carried thereby,and arranged to have a wiping action back and forth against said bobbinsfor setting said bobbins into driving engagement with said whorls.

'21. The combination with a'spinning'machine having spindles and whorlsadapted to receive bobbins, of bobbin setting mechanism comprisingfriction engaging. devices arranged to have a diagonal wiping actionback and forth against said bobbins to first lift and rotate the sameand then depress and rotate the same relative to said whorls for settingsaid bobbins into driving engagement with said whorls.

22. The combination with a spinning machine having spindles and whorlsadapted to receive bobbins, of bobbin setting mechanism comprising arock shaft, and a plurality of arms carried by said rock shaft andhaving yielding fingers with friction surfaces for engaging said bobbinsto rotate the same slightly relative tosaid whorls for nism comprising aplurality of movably mounted arms, each arm having a pair of yieldingfingers with friction surfaces adapt edto pass between a pair of bobbinsupon adjacent whorls and rub against the same.

EUGENE R. ALDERMAN.

